When the War Begins
by iJapan
Summary: He would always return at the same time every night. Eleven thirty. Yet tonight in the presence of his midnight lover, Kurosaki Ichigo knows that this will truly be the last night Szayelaporro Granz visits him before the upcoming war in Hueco Mundo. One-shot. IchiSzay. Rated M for yaoi, sex. Does not contain fluffiness. R&R! No flames, please.


**A/N: My first story of 2014! I hit a rough-patch with my muse deciding to pack up and leave, so I've been floundering around for motivation and ideas to continue my 2 other major stories. I decided the best way to get the brain workin' was by yet another one-shot with my most beloved Bleach pairing! I was in desperate need of some more SzayIchi.**

**As usual with me, this one-shot has le sex. It's not a fluffy ficlet, either. Enjoy! No flames, please.**

**Pairing: Kurosaki Ichigo x Szayelaporro Granz**

**Warnings: Sex, yaoi, mild coarse language**

**Rating: M**

**Song: Glider by Kent (Swedish alternative rock group) **

* * *

**When the War Begins…**

Kurosaki Ichigo paused in his writing, the hand holding his pen moving to press against the flat, smooth wood of his desk. His homework went unfinished as he raised his gaze to the clock lining the wall. Its steady, slow ticking had gone unnoticed during the time he had been sitting in here, the sound fading into a mere background hum.

It was approaching half past eleven.

His warm brown eyes closing, he let out a sigh as he rubbed the bleary drowsiness from his vision.

The piercing silver of the moon outside filtered in a soft caress through his window; the curtains began billowing in the gentle night breeze. The world was still and blackened with night, the only light in the street being that from the glowing crescent above, and from the bedside lamp in the teen's room.

Ichigo opened his eyes, pushing the chair back and rising slowly.

He waited.

The clock continued to tick, a minute passing by. The hand struck twelve, the minute hand completing its half rotation to slide against the six.

It was now exactly eleven thirty.

As if guided by some invisible and unprompted cue, the distinct familiar sound of a ripping tear – what could be likened to a void-like drone as the atmosphere was pulled apart – resonated throughout the pre-midnight air of the outside world.

The recognisable heaviness that settled upon the night, the feeling of time and space contorting to merge and form with the world beyond, caused Ichigo's skin to prickle faintly with the dense pull of spiritual energy he was so frequently used to experiencing this past month.

A faint smile pulling at his lips, he found himself wondering for not the first time how any of this had happened.

His eyes continuing to gaze unblinkingly at the clock, he silently counted down the seconds he knew it would take for the other to arrive.

He would always enter through the front door, never opting for the window unlike those who would visit the teen from Soul Society – Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku and the rest. It was not his style. He preferred to seek an entrance of grandeur, always precise and calculating in his movements, his graceful air emanating a fluidity which distinctly belonged to him and no other.

Exactly sixty seconds had passed.

A softened knock sounded on the other side of Ichigo's door. The orange haired youth slowly turned his head, his lips still pulled into their faint smile when the door opened.

"Waiting up for me, Ichigo-kun? I must say, that is very considerate of you."

An amused light-hearted scoff fell from Ichigo's lips as that masculine voice laced with a pleasant melodic trill filled the emptiness of his room, the man crossing the threshold of the door and closing it behind him.

"Well considering you're always punctual as shit, it's to be expected, Szayel." He replied, his mouth forming into a slight grin as he raised an eyebrow. A harmonious chuckle emanated from the male as he drew closer, now standing a mere few feet away from the teen.

"Of course."

Ichigo scoffed again, his arms crossing over his chest and his warm brown eyes gazing into amber golden.

The taller male stood close to six foot one, his lean form supple, lithe and clothed in pure white. His features were delicate, pale and angular, with his shoulder length pink silken locks framing his face and brushing past his right eye – white rimmed glasses framed those captivating and intelligent golden orbs and only served to heighten his scholarly appearance.

If there were any words that Ichigo could use to describe the Octava Espada, it was that Szayelaporro Granz exuded a natural elegance and distinct seductive charm which accentuated the grace that was the man before him.

Even gazing at him now, Ichigo found himself once again, for not the first time, wondering how it had come to this.

"Does Aizen know?" The youth spoke up quietly, knowing that the other would understand what he was referring to. The pink haired male moved a gloved hand to run it through a loose strand of hair which brushed past his cheek. His golden eyes remained unblinking as they settled on warm brown.

"No. Not yet, at least." Szayel replied, his voice a low murmur.

Ichigo nodded faintly.

It had started only one month ago, when Ichigo's friend Inoue Orihime had been taken to Hueco Mundo. Ichigo was beyond fury, threatening to lash out and storm into the Hollow word himself, completely alone if he had to, to provide any means of rescuing her and bringing her back safely to the World of the Living.

* * *

_He had been restrained by Soul Society, the soutaichou Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni forcibly retaining Ichigo in the Real World under lock and key, preventing him from making any rash decisions which would ultimately cost him his life. _

_It had taken days, weeks even, for Ichigo to calm his wrath. And then that night, a night which had borne remarkable resemblance to one such as tonight, the ripping void in the sky had torn apart the air. Ichigo had glanced up from his homework, his hand tightening reflexively around his combat pass only to pause when he had observed the lone figure of a pink haired male, clothed in white garments which bore some basic resemblance to the black of the shinigami shihakushou, stepping through onto the street outside of his home._

_He appeared to be studying the world around him, his eyes carefully scrutinising the landscape as he removed from his pocket a scanning device of some description. Raising it, he began recording what Ichigo could only assume to be some sort of data. The garganta then closed behind him, the unusual male disappearing. _

_Night after night it would continue, that same man returning to retrieve information from the world around him. Ichigo was wary and cautious of this newcomer as he waited silently that one night, lying in anticipation for the males' next appearance. He would always return at the same time, every evening. Eleven thirty. _

_Seeing the garganta split through the sky once again, Ichigo gripped his hand tighter around his zanpakutou, stepping out next to the tree he had concealed himself behind. The pink haired male was, once again, by himself. _

_Ichigo was silent as he drew up closer, the stranger's back turned to him. As he was set to hold out the serrated tip of his blade to the lean man's form, the melodic voice of the taller male rang out through the night air, filling it with its warm and pleasing sound. _

"_It is about time you allowed yourself to seek me out, Kurosaki Ichigo. I was getting rather tired of all of this waiting."_

_Ichigo had frozen, his warm brown eyes widened into shock as the taller male turned around, a fine eyebrow raised in amusement, his golden eyes alighting with an inner mirth behind his glasses. _

"_Wh-what do you mean?" He stammered, his voice stunned. _

_The taller male chuckled. _

"_I am perfectly aware that you have been watching me these past evenings, Kurosaki Ichigo. Your reiatsu still needs some development if you wish to conceal it properly."_

_Ichigo could only gape. _

"_Wh-who are you? How the hell do you know my name?"_

_The stranger's lips pulled into a sly smile._

"_Inoue Orihime is safe."_

_Ichigo did a double take. _

"… _Inoue?" He whispered. _

He had learnt from this man, whom had introduced himself as the Octava Espada, Szayelaporro, of Orihime's current condition in Las Noches. She had been unharmed, and was to continue remaining so. The scientist, as Ichigo had discovered the man was, had been sent to the World of the Living to gather data on the substitute shinigami by recording his reiatsu levels.

Ichigo had also found out that this man was seemingly not the willing and eager subject that the shinigami traitor Aizen Sousuke had believed him to be. The scientist's interest in the orange haired teen had been the youth's saving grace in a matter of speaking – Szayel had been feeding Aizen false information about the boy's powers upon his return each night to Hueco Mundo, effectively lessening the brown haired males' focus upon the youth and instead redirecting it towards Soul Society.

Szayel would return each night thereafter, stating to the ex-Division captain that he would continue to record the reiatsu of any shinigami which appeared in Ichigo's vicinity.

However, this was not to be the case. Through his return each and every night, Ichigo had found that their interactions had become less guarded, and steadily increased in their openness with one another. And then, three weeks later on a night clouded by the ominous grey of an impending storm in the distance, their meeting had become intimate.

* * *

Gazing back now into the deep golden irises of the man in front of him, Ichigo's mind pulling away from these thoughts, he found that he really couldn't begin to articulate what their relationship was.

Was it love? Lust? Or was it merely a fleeting experience with elements of both, or none at all?

The two were completely different – substitute shinigami, a human. Arrancar, an Espada.

Szayel's personality stretched so far from Ichigo's own that the orange haired male found himself baffled by the sheer absurdity of it all. The pink haired man was calculating, vastly intelligent in both mind and wit. He preferred order and science, his aesthetic ideals extending greatly to everything around him. He was dangerous yet calm and collected, favouring to watch the scene unravel from the sidelines instead of getting himself involved in matters that he felt were too below him.

He was beautiful, Ichigo thought.

Ichigo's own personality was the complete opposite of the scale – he was brash, hot-headed, too quick to enter into things without thinking over his course of action beforehand. He took many risks, and he would immediately jump at the opportunity to put his very life on the line if it meant that he would protect those whom he cared for.

Despite all of the impossibilities, he continued to find himself at a loss to disagree that there was just something about the two of them which seemed to make sense. And so not for the first time, he found himself pondering why they were in this situation.

"Why do you keep coming back here every night?" Ichigo asked quietly, his eyes unblinking.

He would always ask this question. And he would always receive the same response.

A fine pink eyebrow raised in amusement – the taller male content once more to play this little game of decisions and doubt.

"Why do you think?" He murmured, just as quietly. Ichigo's lips pulled into yet another faint grin. As expected, the response was indeed the same.

"I don't know…"

The taller male moved closer, his pale petal coloured lips forming into the same sly smile as they had that night when they had first met.

"My poor deluded Ichigo-kun… isn't it obvious?" He hummed silkily, reaching out a long fingered hand and caressing the youth's cheek with his fingertips.

Ichigo scoffed faintly, his eyes locked with deep golden, the amber irises echoing a mischievous air.

The smile faded from Szayel's lips, his head moving forwards and a lock of pink hair brushing against Ichigo's neck as it did so. The man's eyes became serious.

"I don't have much time." He murmured, his voice low.

Ichigo nodded. He knew that Aizen would be expecting the Octava back shortly.

He reached out a lightly tanned hand, tracing the side of the taller males' neck. His fingers found purchase amongst silken strands of pink coloured locks.

Golden eyes clouded over quickly with something carnal when Ichigo swiftly removed the man's glasses with his free hand.

Lunging forwards, Ichigo's brown eyes closed when the taller male seized his warm lips heatedly, eagerly, with his own softened mouth. The teen felt his body freeze up for the briefest of seconds, his mind once more becoming pleasantly hazed as it always did when his lips became assaulted by the glorious sweet taste that was distinctly Szayel.

A quiet moan left his throat, swallowed by the mouth of the Octava as Szayel slid his lips slowly, hotly, over Ichigo's. A low groan of pleasure sounded from deep within his own throat, his mouth pressing in a familiar dancing rhythm against Ichigo's warm tasting lips.

His grip in the Octava's hair tightened slightly, Ichigo now panting against the other man's mouth as he held his free hand against the side of Szayel's neck. The Octava chuckled, the sound a seductive hum whilst skilled long fingers deftly unzipped the collar of Ichigo's jacket, pulling the garment off of the youth's shoulders a moment later and allowing it to crumple against the floor.

Parting briefly in the need to regain their breath, Ichigo leant his forehead against the taller males' – lust-clouded brown eyes gazing needfully into equally darkened amber. The orangette's eyes widened momentarily a moment later, a surprised gasp falling from his lips when Szayel moved to slide his mouth hotly once more over the teen's readily pliant mouth, grabbing onto still-clothed firm hips and gently pushing the youth against the bed.

The mattress hit the back of Ichigo's legs, the orange haired male landing on the sheets and quiet moans passing both men's lips as Szayel slid onto his hands and knees, climbing over the lithe body now lying prone underneath him.

A faint chuckle left his lips, his hands fisting in the pillow on either side of Ichigo's neck, the pink haired man continuing to slide his mouth in a deep, hungry caress over the teen's. The soft panting against his lips from the shorter male caused Szayel to groan heatedly, a gloved hand resting against the youth's smooth cheek.

Sliding his other hand down, he began to make quick work of divesting Ichigo of his clothing.

A quiet mewl left Ichigo's throat, Szayel parting from his mouth momentarily so he could sit back and pull the teen's pants off, Ichigo raising his hips to help him. He was feeling dizzy with pleasure from the searing kisses, and a low groan filled the air when the restrictive tightness of his jeans had finally been pried off of him. His arousal was by now quite prominent, the outline of it bulging through his boxers.

Szayel eyed the prize before him, Ichigo panting and his chest rising and falling in time with his gasps for breath, warm brown eyes clouded and his erection stirring temptingly through his underwear. The pink haired male licked his lips, a seductive smile pulling at the corners of his mouth as he chuckled deeply again.

Ichigo truly was beautiful, he thought.

"Szayel…" The man's name fell in a whisper from that parted reddened mouth, Ichigo's tone pleading as he bucked his hips up gently, hoping that the taller male would understand his meaning. Another chuckle sounded in the Octava's throat, Szayel leaning back down to press a soft, reassuring kiss to craving red lips.

"Shh…" He whispered hotly against the teen's mouth, his moist tongue sliding across the gasping lips offered to him. Ichigo moaned, opening his mouth and allowing Szayel entry, satisfied groans being swallowed by each other as their tongues met and tasted.

Small droplets of saliva were licked away, their tongues beginning a lazy yet delicate dance in Ichigo's heated cavern, stroking and caressing tenderly whilst Szayel reached down to unzip his jacket, throwing it off of his lean form and administering the same to his hakama moments later.

Sighing quietly when his prominent erection was freed to the cool air of the room, his form now naked and displayed before the teen, Szayel slowly pulled away once more from Ichigo's mouth. Dark golden eyes opened to gaze lustfully into clouded brown, quiet moans passing parted lips as their tongues flicked out to lap lazily at the string of saliva which had joined them.

A loud groan of want fell from Ichigo's throat when his gaze trailed down to take in the sight of his lovers' naked form, with lightly toned muscles and supple body, and the pink haired man's straining member, a small hole carved out near its tip. It was the only sign to show that this man was a Hollow, the hole certainly being the Hollow hole which adorned the bodies of every wayward revenge-driven soul.

Yet this man was indeed more man than beast, and Ichigo found that he loved the sight before him incredibly; after all, he had thoroughly indulged in every inch of this male presented before him over their nightly encounters, and vice versa.

The youth bucked his hips again, his head falling back against the pillow as his midnight lover trailed his slender hand down over the twitching muscles of Ichigo's abdomen, each touch seeming to spread a trailing fire over Ichigo's senses. His breathing increased harshly, pants and moans of Szayel's name falling in desperate whispers from his lips. He needed him now, as he knew that Szayel needed him just as badly in return.

Szayel groaned softly, his hand now having paused at the heated swelling of Ichigo's arousal. Biting his lip, Ichigo's eyes closed and sinful noises parted his opened mouth when the pink haired man dipped his hand underneath the fabric, his warm fingers finding purchase along the erect shaft of his lover's length.

"Aah! Mmn… nnn…"

Szayel's heart beat faster inside his chest, his tongue flicking out to lick against his lips when he eyed Ichigo's reaction, the teen's face flushed a deep scarlet and his hips jerking when the Octava's hand began a slow, teasing, stroking rhythm against his weeping cock.

"S-Szay… f-fuck…"

Ichigo's head fell to the side against the pillow, louder moans parting his lips, his hips thrusting up to meet the eager stroking hand on his length. His muscles twitched and coiled with heat, his body overloading with pleasure. He cried out softly, biting the back of his knuckles almost hard enough to draw blood when his lover kneaded his thumb against the slit of his member, drawing out steady trickles of pre-cum.

He shuddered, his low groans muffled against his hand when the strokes increased in speed, his lover pumping him quickly to that blissful nirvana. He was lost in pleasure, the hand moving faster, harder, each pull and stroke sending lightning coursing through every inch of his being. He was being sent over the edge too quickly, his body already at his limit.

"Mmnnn… S-Szay…el… c-close… I'm… close…"

A low, lustful groan was his response, Szayel falling forwards and hungrily latching his mouth against Ichigo's neck, sucking along the sweet, musky flesh and laving his hot tongue over the boy's throat. A louder moan was his reward, Ichigo's hips thrusting up harshly against Szayel's hand still fisted around his member, his head tilting back further to allow his lover more access to his neck.

Szayel slowly trailed his lips along Ichigo's jugular, imparting soft, feather-light kisses, his mouth ghosting over the youth's chin and jawline until he reached the teen's earlobe.

His golden eyes fluttering at the impatient swelling of his own arousing need, he stroked his hand along the youth's member in a harder, tighter rhythm; beads of pre-cum trickled over his pale hand, Ichigo's dick giving a tell-tale twitch in his hold. Ichigo's chest was rising and falling rapidly, his moans long since becoming frantic whimpers and begs for release.

"Sz-Szayel… please… I… nngghh…"

"It's ok, Ichigo-kun…" Szayel breathed, latching his teeth over the teen's ear and causing Ichigo's eyes to snap open, a loud groan of pleasure rippling from his throat. His hips jerked higher, pleasured gasps escaping both males when their erections touched briefly together.

Szayel swallowed thickly, his breaths now coming out in short, sharp pants as he tore the teen's boxers the rest of the way down. He too was quickly becoming hazed with pleasure, his voice a mere heated whisper as he spoke once more next to Ichigo's ear.

"Cum for me…"

Those words and the low, lustful tone in which they had been said finally sent Ichigo over the edge; drawn-out whimpers flew from his lips, his hips jerking viciously as the teen's back arched, his abdomen coiling with heat as he quickly reached his climax.

Szayel licked his lips once more, hungered moans leaving his mouth when droplets of pearly white splattered his hand and their lower chests, Ichigo's body trembling and his brown eyes clouded with euphoria. Ichigo's mind was hazed with ecstasy, the teen barely able to register the movement of Szayel quickly removing his hand and sliding his cum-soaked fingers over his own length. Long, soft sighs left his lips, his golden eyes hazed over once more as he stroked himself quickly, coating his dick in his lover's seed to provide some form of lubrication.

Ichigo gave a faint moan while watching, his heart still beating feverishly in his chest. He swallowed thickly, watching each mesmerising movement of the pink haired man's hand over his own twitching cock, the teen's mind and body revelling in the delicious gasps that filled the air as he did so.

It was only when Szayel had moved his hands to push apart Ichigo's legs, the Octava sitting himself up to align himself at Ichigo's entrance, his fingers making ready to slide into the puckered hole to begin preparing his younger lover, when Ichigo reached out and shook his head. His hands clasped around Szayel's, his lust-clouded brown eyes raising to stare desperately into equally lust-clouded golden.

"N-no. Not like this." He managed to whisper, his voice still hoarse.

Szayel raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Ichigo-kun?" He asked quietly, his tone laced with concern, yet edged with a faint air of impatience.

Ichigo swallowed thickly again, his hands clasping tightly around the Octava's slender forearms.

"I want… I want you this time." He whispered, his cheeks blushing a faint red as he did so. There was silence for a few brief seconds, Szayel's features expressionless in the silver glow of the moonlight.

It was so long until Ichigo received a response that he had almost begun fearing that Szayel would just up and leave right then and there.

"Alright."

Ichigo blinked, his heart almost seeming to come to a stop. The hands on his thighs removed themselves, Szayel leaning forwards and shifting so he was straddling himself over Ichigo's waist. The two males groaned faintly at the heated contact of their flushed arousals, before Ichigo's attention was brought back to the milky pale thighs clamped on either side of his hips.

He lifted his gaze, staring questioningly into the delicate features of the male currently seated over his arousal, the pink haired man's golden eyes gazing back into Ichigo's brown irises with an expectant look. He arched an eyebrow, the corners of his lips pulling up into a slight smile.

"You're going to let m—"

"I am." Szayel's amber irises glinted with a look of such sincerity that Ichigo almost felt light-headed for a moment; the man's tone was quiet, his voice a soft whisper as he uttered those two words. The teen couldn't believe what he had just heard. It was only when the low, seductive chuckle sounded next to his ears, Szayel reaching down and entwining his hands through spikey orange locks and ghosting his lips heatedly over Ichigo's parted reddened mouth, that Ichigo was brought back to reality.

"Szayel…"

"Do you still have the ointment I left last time?" The man's tone was a silken murmur, laced with all sense of gentleness.

Ichigo nodded, his mind becoming hazed with their proximity and his quickly awakened arousal as he reached out his left hand, fumbling around with the top drawer of his desk whilst his lips were being claimed in a slow, passionate dance by the Octava's soft, warm mouth.

Finally finding what he was after, he brought his hand back, a low hum of approval sounding from his lover when Ichigo unscrewed the cap and dipped his fingers into the cool, clear cream. Szayel wrapped his fingers around the teen's wrist, directing the youth's hand down to his entrance just as the taller male parted his legs.

Ichigo glanced back up, sharing a look of uncertainty with the slender male, gazing steadily into golden eyes to see if there would be any last-minute objections. He was only met with a level-headed gaze, Szayel continuing to direct Ichigo's fingers to his awaiting entrance.

Closing the distance, Szayel hungrily latched his lips once more onto Ichigo's pliant mouth, stealing all sense of doubt with that breath-stealing kiss, Ichigo's mind near exploding when he felt the first of his fingers slip into the tight passage of his lover's body. He groaned, immediately being drawn into the slick feel of those velvety walls, his finger striking up a steady sliding rhythm, mimicking each movement of Szayel's fingers into his own body many times previously.

A pleased sigh fell from the Octava's lips, his golden eyes closing and his head falling forwards, his lips finding Ichigo's once more and the taller male sucking along the youth's bottom lip in movements working in tandem with the finger preparing him. Pleasured groans were swallowed by each other's mouths as tongues met and tasted, wrapping and stroking around each other once more when Ichigo guided in a second finger, scissoring his way through the velvety walls of his lover's blissfully hot entrance.

Pleasured groans turned into hungered moans, breathless pants for air escaping their mouths, Szayel guiding his hand along Ichigo's wrist to urge his younger lover to insert the next finger.

Unable to resist, Ichigo did so; his eyes fluttered and a growl of desire coursed through his throat at the delicious moan which passed Szayel's lips as he did so, the pink haired man gasping, his head falling forwards to rest against Ichigo's shoulder.

Ichigo hastily pressed swift, heated kisses to the man's cheek, his fingers pushing further inside Szayel's entrance; the Octava groaned louder, his hips thrusting against the movement and gasped sighs parting his throat as he latched his mouth against Ichigo's neck, biting down faintly against the thick flesh.

Ichigo's head flew back, a low groan rippling through his chest at the heated jolt this sent through his body. His fingers slipped in further, going higher inside his lover, stretching him even more. Szayel's eyes flew open, his supple form jerking and a breathless heated cry leaving pale lips, his back arching in the most glorious way that Ichigo had ever seen.

Ichigo grinned, moving to touch the other's prostate once more, seeking to give his lover all the pleasure that he could possibly give him.

Szayel's hands gripped Ichigo's shoulders, the taller man steadying himself, his breath coming out in sharp pants for air.

"I-Ichigo… n-now. Enter me… now." He managed to whisper, his voice strained. His golden eyes were clouded with carnal desire, his expression pleading.

Ichigo felt his cock twitch in excitement, and he nodded, Szayel biting his lip and gasping when the teen's slicked fingers were removed. Carefully aligning himself, Szayel straddled Ichigo's hips once more. Heated golden eyes gazed intently into warm brown. The next moment, two loud cries permeated the air as Szayel swiftly raised himself, lowering down quickly and impaling himself upon Ichigo's hardened member.

Ichigo felt like his mind had truly exploded the second he felt that tight, constricting heat enclose around him fully, his lover's slicked passage swallowing his length in its entirety and tightening around his aching and desperate cock. He groaned, biting his lip to stop himself from crying out as he gripped pale hips in a vice-like grasp, his fingernails digging into the Octava's lean waist and his back arching against the euphoric feeling he was being subjected to.

Szayel moaned deeply, the sound a wanton cry of delight as his head flew up, his back arching in a sinful display of perfection. His chest rose and fell rapidly in a truly mesmerising fashion, his hair clinging to his pale cheeks and neck, his locks dishevelled and his forehead glistening with sweat. Heavy, intense rolls of pleasure swept over him, his mind seeming to go blank as he gave himself over to the need for him to feel his younger lover move deep inside him, filling him up and making him whole in all the ways that he craved for from his orange haired partner.

"F-fuck… S-Szayel…" Ichigo groaned, the Octava immediately setting up his rhythm, his hips moving as he gripped Ichigo's waist and began rocking and gyrating, riding his younger lover in a quick, needy pace. Each breath passing his lips was a musical delight of sin, the pink haired man's head lolling back as each wave of pleasure and pain swept over him, sharply at first, and then slowly, intoxicatingly straight after.

"I-Ichi… go… p-please…" Szayel moaned louder, managing to open a golden eye to look down. Ichigo swallowed thickly, his dick twitching with delight at that pale face now flushed an attractive red, the normally calm and collected man coming so undone in his pleasure that it was truly delicious.

Ichigo nodded, gripping Szayel's hips tighter, grunting loudly when he thrust his hips up slowly, steadily at first. Another cry of delight fell from his lover's mouth, Szayel responding and slamming himself back down over Ichigo's member, seeking more contact inside of him. His hips rocked in time with Ichigo's, the teen pulling out once more to thrust back up, the sound of hot skin slapping against hot skin only encouraging each sharp jerk upwards when Szayel met his thrusts yet again.

"F-fuck… h-hot…" Ichigo groaned, biting his lip and grunting when he jerked his hips back up higher, loving the sounds passing pale lips when Szayel rocked against him.

Szayel moaned louder, his hands gripping Ichigo's hips so tightly that his knuckles were white against his already pale skin. All he wanted was the feel of his younger lover tighter, higher inside of him, his dick twitching and already dripping with pearly-white against his stomach.

He managed to look down, the air becoming filled with heady breaths and frantic gasps for air as their chests rose and fell in frantic time, sweat beading on their foreheads and sheening on their limbs. Their bodies moved in perfect sync, hitched laboured gasps for breath only driving them on, encouraging each quickened snap of hip against hip. He moaned when he saw the face of the brown eyed teen, the youths' orange hair plastered to his forehead and his face flushed with ecstasy. He reached down a hand to caress the teen's cheek, another loud moan falling from his lips when Ichigo bucked up higher, thrusting harder inside his needing passage.

"AHHH! M-more! I-Ichi…" Szayel gasped, groaning and impaling himself harder upon Ichigo's twitching length.

A low, answering groan was his response, Ichigo captivated by his lover's movements, the pale man writhing in ecstasy on his lap, his hips twitching and snapping back and forth in motions he had never seen before. He thrust up higher, needing more, his dick so painfully close to release yet the teen so desperate to keep going that he was blinded by his urge to feel each rolling wave of pleasure over and over, never ending nor wanting it to end.

"Haaaah… haa… ngghhhh…"

The sounds his lover was making were nothing short of lustful; Ichigo grit his teeth, his back arching and a loud moan of delight falling from his mouth as he gave himself completely over, beginning to feverishly thrust his way higher inside his lover. Szayel screamed, long, breathless cries and desperate urges for more ripping from his throat, everything about him so beautifully sexy to Ichigo that it only drove him to seek out every single sound and gasp of ecstasy this man was capable of producing.

Szayel cried out, falling forwards and sliding down further on Ichigo's erect length, hungrily thrusting down harder and harder. Somewhere, their hands had clasped together, both males' voices rising in tandem to create a symphony of erotic delight – their hips snapped mercilessly back and forth, droplets of cum already splattering the mattress from Szayel's length.

Desperate golden eyes too far gone and seeped in pleasure sought equally consumed warm brown.

"H-harder… more… so... good... pleas—AAAHH!"

Ichigo complied, thrusting viciously upwards, their bodies slicked with sweat as they both chased their pleasure for everything they could. Szayel fell forward once more, his body trembling after a shattering scream of delight fell from his throat, his back arching in the most mesmerising way imaginable when Ichigo's cock slid right home and hungrily found his prostate.

"I-ICHIGO! THERE!"

Ichigo let out a low, desperate moan, his lips capturing the Octava's and saliva dripping from their mouths when he moved to hit that glorious spot inside his lover again and again, the pink haired males' body shivering and twitching on top of Ichigo's, his hips jerking desperately and their delightful moans, screams and gasps of pleasure being swallowed in each other's throats.

"S-Szayel…" Ichigo panted against the taller man's lips, their tongues meeting and connecting roughly, urgently, in time with each rough and urgent rise, fall and rock of their hips together again and again.

Neither of them could hold on for any longer; both were reaching the end, the tell-tale twitching of their members and the white-hot sensations in their abdomens providing them with their only form of warning. Their hands clasped tighter together.

"I'm… I'm… c-close…" Szayel moaned in wanton pleasure, managing to open a hazed golden eye. Ichigo groaned louder, his hands gripping pale hips tighter and their lips crashing hardly together just as the teen gave that last, desperate thrust for release, his cock already dripping inside his lover's tight heat.

Szayel seated himself up, slamming himself down one final time with the hardest motion he could, the contact of Ichigo's sharp thrust upwards setting a burning delight of intense bliss coursing through the Octava's body. His eyes widened, his back arched and his hips snapped sharply forwards as a scream of Ichigo's name tore from his lips, the pink haired male finding his release with blinding ecstasy as he came.

Splatters of white pumped from his length, coating both of their abdomens and the mattress. Ichigo groaned loudly, his eyes unable to tear away from the perfection before him as he thrust up higher once, twice, three times more. His breathing became shallow, his hips jerking with untimed, rough and wild movements before he too met his final peak.

Szayel's name tearing out in a yell of delight, Ichigo's mind went blank, his seed exploding from his length as his vision flecked with white spots. He came, his release coating the inside of his lover and splattering down his swiftly deflating cock, the two jerking their bodies, their hips rocking desperately in the throes of their combined orgasms.

Their bodies met; Szayel collapsing on top of the teen, the two fully spent. Their chests were coated and rising and falling rapidly with their desperate gasps for breath, the sound of their heartbeats audible in their ears as the blood pumped feverishly through their limbs.

Sweat-slicked, the pair groaned – sated golden eyes meeting equally sated warm brown. Faint smiles formed on two mouths, lips meeting in slow, timed movements, the two each calming each other through their post-coital bliss.

Tongues met and lazily danced, the sound of their mouths moving in sync soon the only audible sound in the room as they regained some control of their breathing. Ichigo's head fell back against the pillow once more, he and his lover groaning faintly when Szayel carefully removed himself, falling back against the bed and wrapping his arms around the teen, Ichigo rolling over and subconsciously curling into the safe warmth of his partner's embrace.

* * *

It was always like this. He would arrive, they would couple, and then they would stay together for only a few minutes more. Ichigo would find himself lost to the clutches of sleep. When he woke up, he would be alone, Szayel having left immediately after.

It had taken some time for the teen to accept this, but gradually he had come to expect this action. He could, after all, not entirely place what exactly their relationship was.

He was quite content for the meantime though to listen to the soothing beating of the man's heart, his head buried against the warmth of the pink haired males' chest as it rose and fell gently under his head, the teen inhaling the sweet scent of the man's skin.

"Thank you…" He whispered after some few moments of silence. A chuckle sounded next to his ear, Szayel tracing small circles along the youth's back. Ichigo bit his lip, his mind once more becoming clouded with the thoughts he had been mulling over prior to the Espada's arrival.

"Aizen's going to plan his attack soon… isn't he?" He murmured. A faint sigh was his response.

"Most definitely." Came Szayel's quiet reply. "It will be an all-out war."

Ichigo nodded, the teen falling silent for yet another moment.

"How many Espada will be there?"

Another chuckle was his response.

"How many shinigami will be there?" Szayel returned, his tone amused.

Ichigo snorted a laugh, lifting his head to gaze at the pink haired male.

"I get it. You can't give away that information, and neither can I." He replied. He saw a pointed expression directed towards him, knowing that he was indeed correct.

He allowed another faint smile before sighing once more, his expression now serious and determination burning in his warm brown eyes.

"Let me rephrase that, Szayelaporro. Are _you _going to be there?"

His eyes searched the golden eyes before him with utmost sincerity. He needed to know. Szayel was quiet for a few minutes longer, his features expressionless. He sighed.

"Perhaps." He murmured.

Ichigo nodded, taking this as the best answer he was going to get. It wasn't entirely certain, yet he was comforted by it regardless.

"When the war begins, Kurosaki Ichigo," Szayel spoke up, drawing the youth's attention back to him, his expression now grave as gold eyes burned into brown, "make sure you look for me, and only me. I will be waiting."

Ichigo held the man's gaze, seeing all sense of urgency in those intelligent amber eyes. He nodded his understanding, though his stomach clenched at the knowledge that the next time they would meet, it would not be as partners in lust or love, but as enemies. Szayel knew this too. Hence why he had given the instruction. He at least would grant the teen a merciful death if it ever came to that point.

"I promise." He whispered. Szayel blinked, his eyes carefully studying the teen's for a while longer, as if waiting to see if Ichigo would choose to back out of his decision. Seeing no change in his expression, his features softened, a pleased look appearing in golden eyes.

"Good." He announced, tracing a hand along the youth's cheek. Still maintaining the teen's gaze he leant forward, capturing Ichigo's lips once more in a slow, deep caress. Ichigo's eyes closed, his hands reaching up to entwine through silken pink locks, his lips moving in a desperate need against the Octava's. Faint moans passed their lips, Ichigo finding himself rolled onto his back on the mattress when Szayel laced his hands against the youth's neck, deepening the kiss and slipping his tongue inside the warmth of the orangette's mouth.

Ichigo's tongue immediately responded, yet his heart was clouded. He knew this would be the last time they would meet. Everything about the saddened look in the Octava's eyes seconds previously, everything about the way their mouths were now moving as if in the air of those who would soon be parted – each touch sorrowful, desperate, lingering, savouring – and everything about Szayel's unexpected submission to Ichigo tonight, proved this.

As Ichigo's eyes felt heavy with the clutches of fatigue, he reached out and tightly clasped the man's pale hand. Slowly parting, kissing away the faint string of saliva which attached their lips, brown eyes sleepily regarded the calm golden of the delicate looking man in front of him.

Allowing a faint smile, Ichigo committed those features to memory as he did every night, though now knowing that this time when he woke up the next morning, he truly would never see the man before him return again.

* * *

**Three Weeks Later**

Gritting his teeth against the upsurge of reiatsu fluctuating around the white-washed halls of Las Noches, Ichigo willed himself to remain focused, his expression despairing as he tore down the echoing marble corridor.

All around him, his friends were engaged in battle; Rukia, Ishida, Sado and Renji having burst down four separate corridors moments previously, the five promising to regroup and return to each other safely once Orihime was rescued within the palace.

Now they had been apprehended, rising jolts of reiatsu more deadly than anything Ichigo had ever experienced before seeming to rip apart the very foundations of the stone he was running on. He swallowed thickly, his mind ablaze with panic. His fists tightened up by his sides, his mind set on one thing and one thing only - getting out of here alive with his friends.

"I-Itsygo!"

Beside him, the little Arrancar girl, Nel, whom the orange haired teen and his companions had discovered with three of her equally unusual compatriots – the bumbling Dondochakka, the facetious Pesche and their 'sand pet', Bawabawa, outside in the deserted sandy plains of Hueco Mundo – wailed out for the teen to slow down.

Ichigo grit his teeth tighter, shaking his head and reaching down to pick up the green-clad girl, her wavy teal locks curling over her cheeks and her cracked mask butting gently against his chest when he drew her in close towards him.

"Sorry, Nel. We have to hurry."

He ignored the sobbing sniffles which escaped her lips, the girl hugging herself tightly to the teen's chest, her small form trembling. Ichigo's warm brown eyes narrowed, his expression determined. Ahead of him, the road carved out into two paths.

The orangette only allowed himself one moment to slow down his speed, pausing to try and come to a hasty decision which corridor to take. Swallowing thickly as a surge of reiatsu once more permeated the air, closer now, he made his choice and fled down the rightmost pathway.

"I-Itsygo! Whaddya doin'? Dis way is dangerous! Dis is da way dat big reysu came from!"

Ichigo tightened his grip on the shivering child, her hands now fisting in the material of his shihakushou, her head lifted and her caramel eyes wide with horror. Ichigo looked down, forcing a faint smile on his lips.

"There's reiatsu everywhere, Nel. I don't think it makes much difference." He murmured, his steps echoing quickly through the empty halls.

The girl fell silent, seeing the reassuring glance thrown her way.

They continued on. Presently, the hallway opened to reveal a stark room, a labyrinth for all its monstrous size. The ceiling rose to great heights, the walls a dark green shade of colour. The floor was laid out in yellow paving, the silence of this foreign space feeling intimidating and oppressive after the noise of the teen's footsteps through that noisome corridor.

Ichigo swallowed thickly once more; perhaps the most unsettling feature of this new surrounding was that the moment they had entered, all trace of the swirling reiatsus detected from outside had disappeared, seemingly swallowed by the walls as if to suppress it.

They were trapped. No one would be able to detect them.

Ichigo smiled bitterly.

_Perfect._

He sighed, letting the girl down. Nel shivered, her cheeks streaming with silvery tears and she gripped tightly onto Ichigo's leg, glancing nervously around her.

"Nel… if you can get out of here, do so."

The girl gasped, glancing back up to the youth, an expression of horror on her features. She was about to form a response when she paused, noticing that Ichigo's features were expressionless, his gaze set firmly on something before him. Slowly turning her head, her eyes widened, a muffled shriek falling from parted lips.

They were not alone.

Slowly, from the other end of the room, a lone figure was approaching. He was hidden in the shadow of the hall, his steps precise and his form languid in his movement.

It was only when he paused some few feet away, his final steps taking him out of the shadows that had cloaked his figure, the lights above streaming down to reveal his features, when the girl found her voice once more.

"Y-you-you're da Eighths Espada… Szayelaporro-sama!"

Nel screamed, quickly hiding herself behind Ichigo's form when the pink haired male slowly lowered his golden eyed stare, his amber irises regarding the child carefully under his white-rimmed glasses. He remained silent, his gaze steady yet unreadable. Presently, he lifted his head once more, his eyes locking onto the warm brown irises of the orange haired teen.

"Allowing yourself to accept the aid of an Arrancar, the enemy no less? Surely your standards haven't sunk so low, shinigami-kun." The Octava's voice was quiet, his tone derisive and laced with mocking intent. A fine pink eyebrow arched delicately, his expression now pointed as he gazed at Ichigo.

An empty laugh fell from Ichigo's lips, his hand slowly reaching up to enclose around the bandaged hilt of Zangetsu. Nel shrieked once more when the blade was brought down, in one deft movement its bandages flying away to reveal the monstrous zanpakutou glistening darkly against the teen's side.

"Nel… get out of here." Ichigo whispered. Nel slowly raised her trembling gaze to meet the teen's face, his features set into a look of determination.

"B-but, Itsy—"

"It's ok. I'll end this quickly."

The girl blinked, falling silent for a few moments. Ichigo slowly lowered his gaze to her, a smile pulling at his lips. Gulping audibly, Nel trembled, nodding and padding away towards the still-opened doorway.

The two males observed her movements carefully, waiting until she was out of sight. Then brown eyes locked back into golden.

"You have no intention of leaving here, do you?"

A bitter smile formed on Ichigo's lips, the teen shaking his head at the Octava's words. Szayel's pale lips pulled into a faint grin of their own, the pink haired man slowly moving forwards. As he did so, his footsteps echoing through the cavernous room, his left hand fell to the hilt of his katana, the slender male carefully drawing his blade from its sheath. The reflection of the lights hit the cold metallic length of the sword, the sight sending brief chills through Ichigo's spine. He raised his eyes to glance into the deep golden depths of the man's irises in front, Szayel now standing just a foot away.

He truly was beautiful, Ichigo found himself thinking once more as he trailed his sight over the lean form of the man before him.

_But it was only a dream._

"What's wrong, Ichigo-kun?" Szayel's expression softened, his golden orbs reflecting a light of concern behind his glasses. His tone was a soft whisper.

Ichigo chuckled drily, his grin becoming wider, yet his eyes were aching with a deep pain and torment.

"It really wasn't gonna work out with us, was it?" He murmured. Szayel didn't respond, though his eyes filled with understanding at the meaning behind the orangette's words. His smile grew as he reached out a hand, touching his gloved fingertips to the side of Ichigo's cheek.

"Whatever do you mean by that?" He asked, once more settling into their usual game of decisions and doubt. Ichigo scoffed faintly, his eyes closing when the taller male moved to rest his forehead against his.

"I don't know." The teen whispered, his tone barely audible when he felt the graze of soft warm lips upon his own. He responded, his own mouth answering with careful, slow movements, tasting everything he had been missing, _they _had been missing, for these past three weeks. Despite the proximity of the man in front, despite how much he wanted to pull him closer if only in some fleeting frenzy to make this moment last forever, he knew he couldn't. Szayel knew this, too. After all, he felt the same.

All too soon, their lips parted. Brown eyes, when they opened to gaze despairingly back into golden, were met with an expression of calm. They had made their decision.

"Inoue Orihime is being held in the main throne room. She has the Cuarto Espada guarding her." Szayel's tone was final, his voice louder to signify the end of their brief conversation. Ichigo nodded, his hand gripping tighter on his zanpakutou. Szayel echoed his movement, his own hand gripping the hilt of his blade.

"Thank you." Ichigo murmured, his tone quiet. A small smile touched his lips, the Octava chuckling faintly in response as his own smile mirrored the teen's.

_Thank you for everything._

Gold eyes locked onto brown, faces set into expressions of firm resolution. They drew apart.

"_Susure, Fornicarás._"

"_Bankai,_ _Tensa Zangetsu!_"

* * *

END.

* * *

**A/N: I'll leave it up to your interpretation what happened after that. Though I don't think it was pleasant :/ **

**Anyway thank you for reading! Feel free to drop me a review or a PM if you liked it, or telling me what you thought :D (Hell, you could even write a continuation of this in the reviews section if you want xD) This one-shot idea was just niggling relentlessly in the back of my brain so I had to write it xD**

**Happy New Year to everyone! :D**

**- iJapan **


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